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A detailed examination of the children in a large school
proved that those with unhealthy mouths were as a rule
unhealthy in appearance, under the average in weight and below
the average for their age in school work.
The later consequences of neglect are rejection for the
public services and increase of unemployment on account of
physical unfitness in all vocations of life.
It is suggested that the prevalence of dental disease might
be diminished by teaching dental hygiene to the children and
enforcing the daily cleansing of the teeth.
Certain firms are now undertaking the production of school
dental outfits consisting of a small case containing tooth brush
and powder, at a cost of about 3d. per head.
However, the utmost that may be done in the way of
prevention is not likely to do more than ameliorate the evil, and
the question of actual treatment remains for consideration.
In Birmingham, during the past year, the children from four
schools have received free dental treatment at one of the hospitals,
but this has been effected through a private donation.
Ear Discharge.
As might be expected the majority of these cases occur in
the South-West Ward where the mothers go out to work and
consider the presence of ear discharge as a necessary accompaniment
of teething.
Many of the babies sent to the Creche are found to be
suffering from ear discharge, and by the time these children are
of school age the condition has become chronic. The services
of the school nurse are most valuable in rendering some of these
children less offensive to the teachers and other scholars, but
treatment is tedious and the mothers never carry out the advice
given for a sufficient length of time.